My Brother
by kensi54382
Summary: Tony is having a hard week at work. Then he discovers something life-changing. While dealing with all of this, he meets Jason Bull, and ends up with answers that he didn't even know he had been searching for.
1. Chapter 1

**New York City, New York**

 **Tuesday**

Jason Bull was surprised that he had been called to Washington DC for an appeals case. He hadn't even told the client that he would help them, but they still wanted to meet with him and discuss their case. They wanted him in DC by Wednesday afternoon, which left him very little time to organise himself and his team. Originally, Bull had thought of bringing his whole team to DC in case they were needed, but Benny had raised a good point- why bring five other people with you for what would only take half a day, at the most? It had made sense, so now Bull was just taking Marissa with him. Still, they had to drive to DC because they hadn't been able to get a flight, and that was going to take them five hours. It was already three pm on Tuesday afternoon, and neither Bull nor Marissa wanted to spend the entire night cooped up in a car. If they left before four pm, then they would at least be in DC by ten pm, after stopping for dinner. Cable had managed to book them a room for two nights that had two separate beds, which they were both grateful for.

"Bull? Are you ready to go?" Marissa asked as she stepped into his office.

Shaken from his thoughts, Bull looked up and smiled. "Yeah, Rissa," he said with a yawn. "Are you driving first?"

"I am. I don't want to be in a car with you driving if you're going to fall asleep."

Bull nodded, relieved. He had missed her sarcasm, but she was right- he was tired enough to fall asleep if he wasn't careful. With a small grin, he picked up his overnight bag and followed his right-hand woman to her car.

* * *

 **Washington DC**

 **Tuesday**

Tony DiNozzo was glad that the day was over. He had been taking the blame, yet again, for most of the day for screw-ups made by Ziva and McGee. Gibbs had looked like he was ready to explode when he had allowed them all to leave early. Tony knew that Gibbs was aware of him taking the blame, but he hadn't said anything- Gibbs always knew what Tony was up to. Still, as much as it never bothered him, Tony had sort of wished that Gibbs would take pity on him and make the others deal with their punishments. He was too tired to fight this week- it wasn't a good week for him. This particular week marked a number of occasions that Tony never wanted to remember- Kate's death; his mother's death; the loss of a longtime relationship; and it also was the week that he had had a decline in his health. Gibbs knew that it was Kate's anniversary that week, which was why he was more grouchy than normal, but that was all he knew. He didn't know the extra pain Tony was in, and he didn't have a clue about Tony's health yet. He also wasn't aware that Senior was in town, which Tony had only just found out on his lunch break. He knew that he would have to go and talk to Gibbs that night, if only to get a little perspective to help him through the week.

With a sigh, Tony pulled into his car parking space in the underground garage of his apartment building and got out, bringing the take-out he had bought with him. He was starving and wanted nothing more than to watch a movie. He usually managed to unwind with movies. That had always helped in the past, but he was unsure if it would be helping him tonight. His head was swimming with thoughts and memories that he didn't want to remember.

* * *

 **Washington DC**

 **Tuesday Night- 10.30pm**

Bull pulled Marissa's car into the parking lot of their hotel and gently shook his friend's shoulder until she woke up.

"We're here, Rissa. Let's get inside and find our rooms," he said as he made to exit the car.

"I'm coming," mumbled Marissa as she slowly exited the car. "What time is it?"

"Ten-thirty. We hit some night works just outside of Maryland."

"Ten-thirty? It seems later. I'm really exhausted."

"It's been a long day. We need a good rest."

"What time do we need to meet these people tomorrow?"

"Two pm. I'm planning on making a trip in the morning to visit a friend of mine. Would you like to come?"

"I'm good. I'm going to sleep in and then have a late breakfast. I promised the girls I'd get them souvenirs too."

"Make sure you pick up something for the guys as well. I'll pay you back for them."

"Don't be silly."

"I'm not." Bull smiled. "I promise I will pay you for them, even if I put it into the week's paycheck."

"Thank you," said Marissa, feeling flattered. She held open the door for him to enter the hotel first.

"Isn't it supposed to be women first?... I guess not tonight." Bull shook his head, still wearing a smile. He led Marissa over to the reception desk and checked them in, grateful that their rooms were only a floor up.

* * *

 **Washington DC**

 **Tuesday Night- 11pm**

Tony found himself sitting on his boss' basement steps, just like he had many times before. It was late, but Gibbs, as usual, was sanding a part of his boat, waiting patiently for Tony to talk. It was clear to the younger agent that his boss had been waiting for him, and that Gibbs probably knew what was on Tony's mind as well.

"It's been a long week..." mumbled Tony.

"It's only Tuesday, DiNozzo," Gibbs said softly.

"Yeah... Senior's in town. He got in last night."

"Has he contacted you?"

"At lunch. He wants to meet me tomorrow to talk."

"About what?"

"Probably money. That's all he ever wants to talk about."

"Are you going to meet up with him?"

"I don't know. I don't want to."

"But?"

"But, he is my dad. I can't be rude."

"Tony, all he's ever done is be rude to you. Some of his own medicine might actually do him some good."

Tony had to smile at that. Gibbs was right. "Maybe..."

"That's not all that you've got on your mind, Tony. What else is bothering you?"

"Kate..." Tony said softly, knowing Gibbs understood.

"I miss her too, Tony. It's okay to miss her."

"Yeah... It's also the anniversary of my mother's death tomorrow." Tears had started to slide down Tony's cheeks. "My girlfriend left me yesterday, after I said that I didn't want to go out this week. She knew the reason for it."

"Bad luck for her, Tony. If she can't help you through this, then she's not worth your time."

"We dated for six months... I miss her."

"That's okay." Tony sniffled a little. "What else is going on, Tony?" Gibbs asked when Tony didn't speak.

"Nothing..."

"Nonsense. You came here to talk on your own free will. So talk."

Tony looked up at Gibbs, who had stopped sanding his boat and was now letting his complete attention fall on the younger man. "I saw Brad last night..."

"Are you sick?" Gibbs asked immediately, his concern shifting easily. "Are your lungs alright? Are you having trouble breathing? Do you need the hospital?"

"I'm okay right now. He gave me some pills to help."

"What's wrong, Tony? You never take medication willingly." Gibbs came and sat next to Tony. "Talk to me."

"It's nothing, really. Just some bacteria in my lungs."

"That's not nothing! Why didn't you tell me you were feeling sick yesterday?"

"I didn't want to bother you..."

"It's not bothering me. Your health is far too important to ignore. What did Brad say, exactly?"

"I have to take the pills twice a day for seven days, then he wants to reassess me. If I haven't improved, he might admit me to hospital for a few days."

"Well, we are going to make sure that doesn't happen. You can stay with me this week until you're better. I'm not taking no for an answer, either."

Tony smiled a little. "Thanks, Gibbs. I appreciate the concern, I really do."

Gibbs nodded. "Go upstairs and get some sleep. We're on cold cases tomorrow, so you'll need all the energy you can get."

Tony breathed a sigh of relief as he climbed the stairs, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.


	2. Chapter 2

Bull smiled as he got off the phone with his friend. It was still early, but his friend was already at work, and had agreed to meet with him after breakfast, around nine am. Bull didn't mind- it was still early enough to be able to spend a good amount of time together. Bull put his phone down on the bedside table and climbed out of the comfortable hotel bed. He grabbed some clothes from his overnight bag, which was still sitting on the armchair, where he had left it the night before, and pulled out some clothes. Then he disappeared into the bathroom for a quick shower and shave.

Ten minutes later, Bull stepped out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. He called room service and ordered himself some breakfast, then quickly scribbled out a short note for Marissa. He knew that he had told his friend what his plans were for that morning, but they had both been exhausted at the time, and he wanted to be sure that Marissa knew he hadn't gone to meet their potential client alone. By the time his note was written, Bull could smell the food he had ordered, and he opened his room's door to let the room service man in with the tray.

"Thank you," said Bull with a smile. He handed over a fifty dollar bill. "That's for you, by the way."

"Sir, this is too much..." the young man said.

"It's a tip. You brought this up so quickly, you deserve it. Enjoy it."

"Thank you so much!" The young man smiled widely as he left, closing the door behind him.

Bull sighed, but he was still smiling. He liked when he could make someone's day just that little bit better.

* * *

Tony woke up with a start. Something had just made a very loud bang nearby, and Tony was shocked. He glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table once he had calmed down again, and realised that he wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep- it was already eight am.

"DiNozzo? You awake yet?" came Gibbs' voice from outside the bedroom door.

Tony had to smile. Gibbs didn't seem surprised that Tony had overslept. In fact, he sounded pleased that Tony had gotten a good rest.

"Yeah, I'm up boss," said Tony after a yawn.

"Then get dressed and come downstairs for breakfast."

"Coming, boss."

Tony climbed out of the bed and pulled on the spare suit that he had left at Gibbs' house for this exact purpose. He quickly dressed and fixed his hair to look neat, then made his way to the kitchen.

"Did you get enough sleep, Tony?" asked Gibbs.

"Yeah. I just feel tired still, but that's because I haven't been able to really get much sleep the last couple of days."

"Why not? Is it because of everything that's going on?"

Tony shrugged. "I guess so. And we've been pretty busy at work too."

"You know you can leave early every once in a while, DiNozzo."

"I know."

"You can leave early today. No later than four pm, understood?"

"I understand, boss. Thank you."

Gibbs smiled. "Good. Eat your pancakes so we can get to work."

* * *

Bull climbed out of the cab, paid for his trip, and then walked into the NCIS building. He had sent a quick message to his friend to let him know that he was in the Navy Yard, and had gotten a reply back saying that an all access security pass would be waiting for him at the security desk inside the building's foyer.

"May I help you, sir?" asked a young woman that was standing behind the security desk.

"Possibly. I'm here to visit a friend of mine. He said that he would organise a security pass for me," answered Bull.

"What's your friend's name?"

"Donald Mallard."

"And your name?"

"Jason Bull."

The woman pressed a few keys on her iPad and smiled. She picked up a security badge from her desk and handed it over. "There you go, Mr Bull. It's an all access pass, so you're free to go anywhere in the building. Would you like an agent to escort you somewhere?"

"Yes, thank you. I want to just go and see my friend. I believe he would be in Autopsy."

"Okay. I'll get you to join the line just there," she said as she pointed to a short line, "and I'll get an agent to meet you at the elevator."

"Thank you." Bull took his pass and clipped it to his jacket pocket, then joined the line. Less than three minutes later, and he was through the security checkpoint. He made his way to an empty elevator quickly. "Hi," he said to an older man that was standing at the elevator. "I'm Jason."

"Thomas." The agent looked at Bull. "Where are you heading?"

"To see a friend of mine. He works in Autopsy."

"I'll take you there, and then you can find your own way around."

"Thank you."

Although the man was abrupt, Bull didn't mind. He couldn't hear any malice or anger in the man's tone, so it was fine.

* * *

Bull thanked Thomas and then took a few steps towards the only doors he could see. Shrugging, he stepped through them once they opened, and found himself standing just inside what he assumed was an autopsy suite. The room was cool, but not cold, and there was only one person there. The tables were empty, for which Bull was grateful. He wasn't interested in emptying his stomach contents, after all.

"Jason! How good to see you again," exclaimed the one person that was in the room.

"Hello, Ducky! It's been too long!"

"How are you, my friend?"

"I'm good. I've been busy, but I'm good. How are you?"

"Very well, thank you for asking. What brings you to DC?"

"A potential client that doesn't seem to understand the word 'no'."

Ducky chuckled. "Are you going to tell them you don't want the case?"

"I'm going to try. And if they don't listen to me, I brought some back-up along in the form of a very stubborn, yet charming, lady named Marissa."

"Where is this young lady?"

"Still sleeping in our hotel. We got in late last night."

"I see. Why aren't you still asleep then?"

"Because I would have missed this chance to chat with you!"

Both men laughed, then Ducky asked, "and what would you like to chat about? I got the impression that you had something on your mind when we spoke yesterday."

Bull sobered up. "That I do, Ducky... Actually, I got some strange news yesterday. Apparently my biological father wants to meet me. I don't know who he is, and I'm not really sure what to do about it. All I know is that apparently I have a brother I never knew about."

"You do have a twin out there," grinned Ducky, "and he is almost your exact opposite!"

"I'm serious. My biological parents had twins- me and another boy. I'm told that my brother lives in DC, so I wouldn't mind meeting him."

"Do you know his name?"

Bull nodded. "Anthony DiNozzo Junior. Have you heard of him?"


	3. Chapter 3

Ducky didn't answer. His shock was clearly written across his face as he let the name sink in.

"Ducky? Are you okay?" Bull asked in confusion.

"Can you repeat the name?" Ducky whispered.

"Anthony DiNozzo Junior. You know him?"

Ducky nodded slowly. "Indeed, I do. Remember how I kept saying that I work with your doppelganger?"

"Of course."

"Well... his name is Anthony DiNozzo Junior..."

"You work with my supposed twin?"

"I do... Maybe you should get a DNA test done. I cannot imagine another person having to be the child of Anthony's father."

"Can I meet this Anthony?"

"If you wish." Ducky looked at his watch. "He should be here by now. Follow me."

* * *

Tony had just gotten settled at his desk when he heard a gasp from McGee and felt a pair of eyes on him. He put down his coffee cup and looked up to see what was going on.

"What the hell?" he muttered as he slowly stood up.

"Anthony, this is a good friend of mine," said Ducky. "Jason Bull."

Tony was lost for words for the first time in his life. He shook his head, surprised and confused at the same time. "He looks like me..."

"It turns out Jason has a twin brother named Anthony..."

"I'm an only child, Ducky. You know that."

"It is possible that you have a brother. A simple DNA test will tell you the truth."

Tony immediately looked to Gibbs, unsure of what to do. It was just another problem to add to his already long list of issues.

"Tony, you've always wanted some family. If it turns out you do have a brother, wouldn't you want to know?" Gibbs asked.

"Of course."

"Then, let's go see Abby. A quick cheek swab and then you just have to wait."

Finally, Tony nodded. He quietly followed Gibbs to the elevator, still trying to understand what was going on.

* * *

Abby smiled when she saw Gibbs and Tony enter her lab. Turning, she let her mouth drop open in shock for a moment.

"Abbs, we need a DNA comparison test done," said Gibbs.

Abby shut her mouth, but found it hard to look away from Tony right then. She nodded at Gibbs. "Does Ducky have the blood tests done, or do I need to do them?"

"The DNA needs to come from Tony and from Mr Bull here. You know the drill." Gibbs gently pushed Tony forward. "Do Tony first so we can get back to work."

"Okay." Abby turned around and grabbed a swab from a container on her desk. She turned back to Tony, looking apologetic. "Open up, Tony."

Tony opened his mouth and let Abby swab his cheek, then he spun on his heel and left. Abby followed his exit with her eyes, feeling worried for her best friend.

"Abigail, this is Jason. He's a good friend of mine," said Ducky after he watched Tony leave, and after Gibbs had followed. "He's from New York, so you may have to give me the test results to send through if he's not here anymore."

"Okay, but this will only take a few hours. Tony's DNA will come up easily since he's a federal agent. I'm only comparing DNA anyway, and I know who the two samples belong to."

"Very well then. Swab away," said Bull with a smile, even though he knew that he had probably caused trouble by showing up at NCIS that day.

* * *

Tony stopped down the hall from Abby's lab, out of the view of anyone that passed by, and slid down until he was sitting on the floor. He was so confused, and he didn't know where to begin to unravel this mess. What was he going to do if this Jason person was his brother? Nobody had ever mentioned that he was a twin. Was it even possible, or was this guy playing him? What would he gain from that? Tony didn't have much money.

"DiNozzo? Are you listening to me?"

Tony jumped. He took a deep breath when he realised that it was Gibbs talking to him, and looked up, knowing that his emotions were written all over his face right then.

"Tony?" Gibbs asked as he sat next to his agent. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"I want a brother... I always have," mumbled Tony.

"But?"

"What if this guy is playing me? And Ducky?"

"Then, we'll deal with him. But, Ducky trusts him, and I believe in Ducky. I know you do, too."

Tony looked at Gibbs, his eyes showing just how much pain he was in. It was clear in his expression that he had dropped his ever-present mask and was simply the real Tony DiNozzo.

"Tony," Gibbs said softly, "I know that there's a lot playing on your mind this week. I know that you really are worried about this guy, but I don't think you need to be. This Jason person, he looks exactly like you, just with glasses. I don't need a DNA test to know that you are related in some way."

"But..."

"No buts. You have always wanted some more family, and I think it's time that you got it. In a few hours, you're going to know exactly how the two of you are related, and I would not be the least bit surprised if you are brothers." Gibbs smiled kindly, a rare thing these days. "Come on, let's go get some lunch, then we'll get back to the cold cases."


	4. Chapter 4

Bull sat outside the Georgetown coffee shop with Marissa at two pm that afternoon, quietly sipping his coffee while he thought about how his day had turned out so far. He hadn't meant to scare Tony, that was for sure. The agent had seemed very afraid, of what Bull couldn't be sure, but he was definitely afraid. Bull wondered if he could help with that somehow. If Tony really was his brother, he wanted to be there for him. It had sounded like the other man had nobody to call family in his life, except maybe his team, and that saddened Bull, since he had his family to rely on when things were hard.

"Jason? Are you hearing me?" Marissa asked, breaking into his thoughts.

"Sorry, Riss. I was thinking about Tony. What did you say?" Bull said apologetically.

"I asked what you want to do. It's almost two-thirty, and our possible client hasn't shown up or called."

Bull shrugged. "Give them until two-thirty, then I'll call them. If they don't answer, I'll leave a message saying we aren't interested."

"Okay." Marissa smiled a little. "Already looking forward to having a brother?"

"Yeah. Being an only child is great and all, but I've always wanted a brother or sister. Tony seems like he'd be up for fun and mischief, as long as I haven't scared him off, that is."

"What happened?"

"He certainly wasn't expecting to find out that he was possibly not an only child, that's for sure. But he also seemed a little afraid of something. I can't say what that something might be, but there is something scaring him there."

"Why don't you spend a couple of days here? If he is your brother, I'm sure he'll want to get to know you."

"I hope he will... I hope he's my brother, too."

Marissa nodded her understanding, but decided to let the conversation drop. Bull was clearly distracted, and talking wasn't going to get her anywhere.

* * *

Tony needed more of a distraction than the cold case he was looking at. He wasn't seeing anything that was in the file. Now that he was calmer, Tony wanted to desperately know that DNA test results. He really did want a brother, after all...

"Tony! Tony!" shouted Abby as she came bouncing into the bullpen.

Tony looked up at his best friend, feeling anxious. "Yeah, Abbs?" he asked.

"The results are in. Guess what?"

Tony relaxed ever so slightly as Abby's cheerful tone bounced around the room. She looked excited and it helped Tony feel somewhat calmer.

"Just tell me, Abby," whispered Tony in an attempt to get Abby to lower her voice too.

"Jason Bull... his DNA is an exact match to yours. He's definitely your twin, Tony."

Tony felt the file in his hand drop and could tell everyone was looking at him. But, right then, the only thing that mattered to him was that he had another family member. One that he hoped would be good.

"Are you sure?" Gibbs asked, coming to Tony's rescue.

"One-hundred percent, boss-man," answered Abby happily. "Tony has a twin brother."

"Have you spoken to Dr Bull?"

"No. I gave the results to Ducky to pass on." Abby grinned as she looked back at Tony. "I'm so happy for you!"

Tony just nodded. He was lost for words as he thought about how much time he had missed with his brother. Time that he would never be able to get back. And, if they were twins, that meant that one of them had been adopted. God, Tony really wished he was the adopted one. He never wanted Senior as his father, not even now, so he really hoped he was adopted.

"That's enough now, Abby," said Gibbs, penetrating Tony's thoughts. "You have work to do, and so does Tony. You can celebrate with him on the weekend."

"Oh, Gibbs..." complained Abby.

"Enough. Tony has enough on his mind without having to worry about what to do with this information. Give him some time to come to terms with it."

"Boss?" Tony asked quietly.

"Yeah, DiNozzo?"

"I think I need to leave... Is that okay?"

"Sure. I'll check in with you tonight, alright?"

"Okay." Tony stood quickly, grabbed his backpack, and almost ran to the elevator. He needed some air and some quiet.

* * *

It was after seven pm and Bull was looking for a quiet bar that he could drink at and forget about the day. He didn't really know where he was going, and Marissa had decided that she was going to head back to the hotel and grab her belongings to go home, so he had started wandering through the streets of DC. He stopped in front of a decidedly run-down looking bar and shrugged. Pushing open the door, Bull walked in and found himself a seat at the end of the bar.

"What can I get you?" asked the rough-looking bartender in a gruff voice.

"Whiskey, please," answered Bull. He looked around the bar as he waited for his drink, surprised when he spotted a somewhat familiar figure hunched over a drink just a few seats away.

"There you go," said the bartender before he walked away.

Bull picked up his drink and took a small swig. He continued to watch the man a few seats away, trying to place him. It wasn't until the bartender stopped in front of the guy and placed another drink on the bar while they chatted in a friendly manner that Bull realised it was Tony. He watched in fascination as Tony smiled at the bartender and proceeded to tell him about his day without a care in the world about who he was talking to.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony smiled when his favourite bartender placed another glass of coke in front of him. The guy always knew what he needed, which was probably a good thing, and always looked out for Tony.

"Bad day at work, huh?" asked the bartender.

"You have no idea, Kenny." Tony grimaced. "Really, it's a bad week..."

"That time of year?"

"Yes. I miss them, so much, and I never know how to deal with it. Getting drunk every night probably isn't the best way, but it eases the pain."

"Have you thought about talking to someone? A therapist, maybe?"

"A few times, actually. I doubt that I'll ever do it though."

"Have you spoken to Gibbs?"

"Yes. I told him about my mother and that my dad is back again. I didn't go to meet him like he was asking, something that I think Gibbs is glad about."

"Did you tell him about your health?"

Tony nodded. "I don't know why, but I did. And I told him about Jess."

"Good. If he's going to help you, he'll need all of the information he can get." Kenny smiled kindly. "Do you want to tell me about your day?"

"I have a twin brother..."

"Really?"

"Abby did a DNA test and confirmed it."

"Is this a good thing?"

"Of course, but... I don't know... I just want things to work out. I really want more family, but I'm scared that they might turn out like my father. I don't think I'll be able to handle that."

"You will be able to, but, I don't think that would ever happen..." began Kenny, before he was interrupted.

* * *

Bull couldn't just sit back and let Tony think that he would treat him in a bad way. Bull had always wanted a brother, and his adoptive parents had always made sure that he was a nice person. He wouldn't ever hurt someone, especially someone that was his family. Taking his drink, Bull stood up and went over to where Tony was sitting.

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation," he said, "but I couldn't help overhearing what you were saying, Tony. I would never do anything to hurt you. I've never had a brother, and I've always wanted one. I love having fun, even though I probably don't seem like it."

"How can I be so sure?" Tony asked.

"I guess you can't, but I swear that I wouldn't do anything."

"Aren't you a psychologist?"

"I am. I also run my own company."

"Were you adopted?"

"Yes. My parents have always said that I got lucky because my biological father was apparently a jerk."

"He is," sighed Tony. "I was hoping that I was adopted once Abby told me we are twins."

"I'm sorry you had to have such horrible parents."

"Mum was okay, when she was sober. Senior, however, was the absolute worst, and still is, actually."

"Where's your mum now?"

"She died when I was ten. She had cancer."

"I'm so sorry."

"Me too. She was a barrier to the abuse Senior inflicted upon me. Once she died, there was nobody there to protect me."

"Why didn't the police get involved?"

"Senior used to be rich- he had a finger in every pie, including the NYPD." Tony sighed. "It doesn't matter though. That's all in the past now."

Bull opened his mouth to say something else, but the slight shake of the bartender's head stopped him. There was clearly something he hadn't been told yet, and it was evidently something he wasn't allowed to ask about.

* * *

Gibbs arrived home at seven forty pm, carrying a bag with Chinese takeout in it. He had a feeling that Tony probably hadn't eaten anything since leaving work, and he wanted to make sure that his young friend was taking care of himself. There was absolutely no way that Gibbs was going to let Tony end up in the hospital, although that was more likely after the day that they had just had.

"Tony, I'm home. Where are you?" called Gibbs as he stepped into his kitchen.

When there was no answer, Gibbs frowned and headed for his basement. It wouldn't have been the first time that he found Tony curled up underneath his boat, asleep with one of Gibbs' hand tools clutched in his hand. Tony tended to help Gibbs build the boat whenever he was upset over something, and today certainly qualified as upsetting.

However, when Gibbs made his way down to the basement, he found it empty. Tony wasn't hiding anywhere, which was slightly disconcerting. Gibbs had thought that Tony would be home by the time he finished work, and now that it was clear that the house was empty, Gibbs could feel his gut churning. Where was Tony?

A knock on the front door had Gibbs almost racing up the basement staircase. He stopped at the front door, telling himself to calm down, then opened it. Relief flooded through him when he saw Tony standing on the step with his bartender friend, Kenny.

"Hi, Agent Gibbs," said Kenny. "I drove Tony home because he was starting to fall asleep at my bar. It was putting other patrons off." Kenny grinned in Tony's direction, then looked back to Gibbs. "Here are his keys. I hope it was okay to park his car in the driveway, but I just didn't want it to get damaged. I know how much Tony loves that car."

"Thank you, Kenny," replied Gibbs as he took Tony's keys. "I'll take him from here. Thank you for watching out for him."

"Anytime. Oh, just to make sure that you aren't worrying, Tony didn't drink any alcohol. He only had coke and water. I know he's taking medication."

"Thank you." Gibbs smiled. "I'm glad he has someone to watch over him when I can't." Gibbs said goodbye and gently guided Tony to the couch in the living room. "I've got dinner, Tony. After you eat, I want to talk about something."


	6. Chapter 6

Tony didn't want to talk. He didn't want to eat. He wanted to curl into a ball and cry until he had no more tears left. He wanted to punch something and let out all of his pain. He wanted to just disappear until the week was over. Tony knew Gibbs wouldn't let any of that happen, though. Gibbs was probably planning to force Tony to talk about Kate and his mother, about the girlfriend he had broken up with and the fact that he hadn't been doing very well with following Brad's instructions.

"Tony, are you listening to me?" asked Gibbs. His tone was gentle and made Tony look up from his feet.

"Yes, boss," mumbled Tony.

"Good." Gibbs smiled kindly as he sat next to Tony on the couch. "I want to ask you about your health. I know that it's a touchy subject and that you hate having your health being put into the spotlight, but I need to know how you're going."

"Not good... I'm sorry, Gibbs."

"Sorry for what, Tony?"

"I didn't do what Brad said."

"I know you've been taking your meds, Tony. I've been watching you."

"Brad told me to take it easy... I couldn't tell him about all the problems I've got right now."

"You need to let him know so he can look after you appropriately. Do you want me to talk to him on your behalf?"

Tony nodded after a moment. "Please tell him I'm sorry. I really did try to listen." He looked up at Gibbs.

When Gibbs looked into his friend's eyes, he immediately knew that Tony was telling him the truth. He could see the pain that was evident in Tony's voice and eyes, and he could tell that Tony had really tried. He instinctively knew that Tony was on the edge of burning out, and Gibbs didn't want that to happen.

"Tony, you need to take a break. I want you to take some much needed time off and rest. I don't want you making the same mistake I did when I ran off to Mexico," said Gibbs.

"I don't want to... I don't have anywhere to go if I don't go to NCIS."

"You can go to New York. Dr Bull is a psychologist- he'll know how to look after you if I'm not there to do so."

"Why New York?"

"Go and meet the people Dr Bull works with. Go and see what he does for work. Go sightseeing."

"By myself?" Tony asked, the sadness clear in his voice.

"Yes, Tony. I'm your boss."

"You're my friend," corrected Tony.

"You really want me to come with you?"

"You are the closest person I have in my life. If I meet Jason's closest people, I want him to meet mine."

"I'll think about it, Tony. The first thing I want to do is get your health back on track. I don't want you to end up in the hospital."

"Okay." Tony was miserable, but he knew that his boss was right. If he wasn't healthy, he wouldn't be doing anything at all.

"You need to eat something so you can take your medication. Then, you can get some sleep. I'll call McGee and have him arrange flights for you to New York for next week, and I'll see what I can do about getting Dr Bull to stay in DC for a few more days. I want you to get to know him a little. I'll give Brad a call for you and fill him in on what's going on this week so he can adjust his care plan for you." Gibbs gave Tony another kind smile. "Please eat while I make those calls."

Tony shrugged, but he knew Gibbs was right. So, he picked up a fork and some of the food, and he put it in his mouth.

* * *

Brad was just packing away his files for the night when his phone rang. Immediately concerned that one of his patients was needing his attention, Brad answered the phone.

"Dr Pitt," he said, trying to keep himself calm.

"Brad, it's Gibbs..."

"What happened to Tony?" The panic was evident in his voice now.

"Nothing. I promised him I would explain a few things to you on his behalf. He's afraid that you'll be upset with him if he tells it to you."

Brad took a deep breath, feeling a lot calmer with Gibbs' reassurance. "Okay. What do you need to tell me?"

"A few things."

"I'm just finishing work now. Can I come past your house instead of discussing this over the phone?"

"Of course. Tony's here too. I told him that he can stay with me this week, especially while he's on medication."

"Thank you, Gibbs. I know that Tony will do what I ask, but I am happier knowing that he's not alone." Brad said a quick goodbye and hung up, rushing out to the elevator in an attempt to reach Tony quicker.

* * *

Bull was relaxing on the bed in his hotel room when his phone buzzed with a text message. He picked up the cell phone and glanced at the screen, finding a message from Marissa there.

 _I just got back to NY. Cable and Benny asked where you are, so I told them that you extended your stay for a personal matter. Didn't tell them about Tony- figured you would do that when you come home. Also, bring Tony to NY with you- I want to meet him. :)_

Bull smiled at the little happy face Marissa always ended her texts with. He knew that she was dying to meet Tony, but she was patient and she would wait however long it took for Bull to be ready to share his new brother. Bull began to type back to his friend, but his phone ringing stopped him. He looked at the number, recognising it as a DC area code, but he hesitated before answering it. He hoped it wasn't the client that he was there to meet that afternoon. They hadn't called back and he had left them a message to tell them that he wasn't interested in their case. He knew that they weren't going to be happy about it.

"Hello?" he asked carefully when he finally did answer the call.

"Dr Bull? This is Agent Gibbs. We met this morning at NCIS."

"I remember." Bull sighed in relief. "You're Tony's boss. Is there a problem?"

"No. I wanted to talk to you about something. Is this a bad time?"

"It's all good. What do you want to discuss?"

"Tony. I want him to go to New York with you when you return home."

"Why? He lives here."

"I need him to have a break from work before he completely burns out. He won't willingly take a break, so I need a reason to force him."

"And going to the Big Apple will be a good reason?"

"I want him to be away from NCIS and all temptations to return before he's had a good break. I also want him to get to know you."

"Okay. I think that's a good idea. My right hand woman wants to meet Tony badly. Maybe I can introduce him to my work family, just like I got to meet his."

"Thank you. However, he's a little unwell at the moment, so he won't be able to go to New York until at least next week. I know you have a job to get back to, so..."

"Agent Gibbs, I run TAC. It's my company. I can stay away as long as I want to. I'll wait until Tony is ready to go, and we can go together."

"Are you sure? I don't want to keep you from anything important."

"Tony's my brother. He's just as important as anything waiting in New York, if not more important."

"Thank you... There's one other thing..."

"Ask away."

"You're a psychologist, right?"

"I am."

"I need some help for Tony..."

"What kind of help?"

"There are a few things that are on his mind this week- things that he really needs to deal with before they completely take over. I was hoping that you could try talking to him..."


	7. Chapter 7

After Bull had hung up with Gibbs, he had mulled over what Gibbs had asked him to do. It wasn't a big deal, asking a psychologist to talk to and help solve a person's issues, but it was still odd. Usually, the few patients that he did see were referred to him by a judge or a doctor, never the person's boss. And they certainly weren't friends or a family member. And Tony was a family member, right? But he was still a stranger, too. Maybe they could spend time talking about Tony's issues, but also get to know each other at the same time? That could work.

"That's what I'll do," said Bull out loud to himself. "But, I think I might wait a couple of days before I do that. Tony probably won't feel comfortable with me straight away."

Bull sighed. He thought about how he and Tony had chatted at the bar, completely at ease with each other. They hadn't discussed anything important, but they had still been comfortable to talk to each other openly. It had felt nice to be able to talk like that with someone outside of work, and Bull felt that Tony probably had the same feeling.

* * *

Brad took a deep breath as he walked up to Gibbs' front door. It wasn't that he was nervous or anything, but there was always something that scared him a little when Gibbs was around. He always felt the need to do better. And he felt as if Gibbs was always scrutinising him when it came to being Tony's doctor. He wasn't really sure why he felt afraid like that- he never did anything wrong. But he still felt bad most of the time, like he wasn't doing enough to help Tony. With another breath, Brad put his worries aside and knocked on the door.

"It's open," called a gruff voice that Brad knew belonged to Gibbs.

Brad opened the door, not surprised it wasn't locked, and walked into the house. He made his way into the living room, knowing that Tony would most likely be there watching a movie.

"Hi, Gibbs," he said when he spotted the older agent coming back from the kitchen with a drink in his hand.

"Brad," replied Gibbs. He indicated the couch. "Tony was watching a movie, but I think he fell asleep. Do you want me to wake him?"

"No. Let's go chat somewhere. I'll see Tony later."

Gibbs nodded. He led the doctor into the kitchen.

* * *

Bull climbed into bed, still thinking about how he was going to approach Tony in a few days time. He didn't want to scare the other man, but he didn't want to come across as being uncomfortable to talk either. It wasn't going to be easy. Sighing, Bull pushed all of that to the back of his mind and picked up his cell phone. It wasn't late in New York yet, or in DC for that matter, and he knew that Benny would still be awake. He needed to talk to someone, and Benny was always full of good advice.

"Hi, Bull, how's Washington DC?" asked Benny a moment later.

"Nice. I've decided to stay a few days. Feel like getting out of New York for a bit?" asked Bull.

"Not right now. What's on your mind? You never call at this time unless something's bothering you."

"I need some advice... I met someone up here, and he really needs help. His boss asked me to talk to him, but I don't know the guy. I don't know what to do."

"You love helping people, Bull. Why should this be different?"

"I don't know."

"He's a stranger, so that's not it. You don't help family or friends unless they're desperate. Are you reluctant to stay in DC long enough to help?"

"No."

"Are you worried about the company?"

"Of course not," Bull snorted. "How can I worry when you and Marissa do such a good job for me?"

"Don't be sarcastic, Jason Bull," replied Benny with a laugh of his own. "What aren't you telling me?"

"A lot. I don't know that I'm ready to share it though. It was quite a surprise, actually."

"Is that why you're holding back on helping this guy?"

"I guess... He's a stranger, but he's so familiar at the same time. Does that make sense?"

"Surprisingly, yes. Look, Bull, talk to him once and see how it goes. He might not even be comfortable telling you anything. You might be worried for nothing."

"Yeah... you're right... Thanks, Benny."

"Anytime. Don't forget to bring us back something."

"We'll see, Benny. I might choose to just bring something for the girls... or maybe just for Chunk..."

"Shut up." Benny laughed again.

"Goodnight, Benny," said Bull.

"Night, Bull."

Bull put his phone down again, feeling much lighter. He was still confused about what to do with Tony, but at least he knew where he was going to start. He just needed to figure out a way of approaching the subject before he met up with Tony.

* * *

"Okay, Gibbs. What did Tony want me to know?" asked Brad once he and Gibbs were seated in the kitchen with steaming mugs of coffee.

"A few things. Obviously, you know about his health," answered Gibbs.

"Yes. What else?"

"This week marks a couple of anniversaries..."

"Kate's death for one. Tony told me about that after it happened. I noted it down in his file a couple of years ago after Tony continued to have health issues around this time of year."

"It's also the same week his mother died of cancer," said Gibbs softly.

"Again, I know about that. His family history is already in his file."

"He broke up with his girlfriend this week, too. They dated for six months, and Tony really loved her."

"Why did they break up?" asked Brad. This was something he hadn't known about.

"Tony told me yesterday that she didn't want to care about him and about how much pain he was in this week. If you ask me, she never really cared about him to begin with, but he didn't want to believe that. He was head over heels in love with her."

"I can believe that."

"His father came to town a couple of days ago, wanting to talk to Tony. Tony always gets stressed when his father is around, and he has every right to be worried about it."

Brad nodded. "I can't tell you how many times Tony's ended up in my office for check-ups because his blood pressure was high enough to make him dizzy. Those visits always seem to coincide with his dad's visits."

"I swear I would love to come face to face with that jerk in a dark alley..." Gibbs said angrily.

"Wouldn't we all," agreed Brad. "Why was Tony afraid to tell all that to me?"

"He didn't want you to think he wasn't doing what you had told him to do. Or that he wasn't taking his medication."

"Has he been listening?"

"He's trying. He's taking his meds, and he's really trying to follow your instructions. I think that he's finding it very hard with all of the stress he's under this week, plus the added stress we all dumped on him by telling him that he has a twin brother he never knew."

"A twin brother? Since when?"

"Today. Turns out that Ducky has this friend from New York that is Tony's exact twin. When he came to visit this morning, I had Abby do a DNA test because of a few different things. The results came back as a perfect match between them."

"Poor Tony. No wonder he's stressed. That's a lot to deal with anyway, but adding a family member you never knew about must have been what pushed him over the edge... Has he been talking to you since finding out?"

"A little. He was really quiet before he left work early. When I got home, he wasn't here. He had gone to his favourite bar to talk with his bartender friend, who was the one to bring him here. He spoke long enough to tell me he was afraid to tell you everything and to ask me to do it, then he shut down. I know he's burning out, Brad. I told him I want him to take a break and go to New York with his brother for a bit, but he refused to go without me. I don't know what to do."

"Let me talk to him. Just me and him, okay? I'll do a quick examination at the same time, just to see how he's going."

"Anything you can do to help would be great," said Gibbs gratefully.


	8. Chapter 8

Brad returned to the living room and found his friend awake. Tony was staring at the TV, but it was clear that he wasn't seeing anything on the screen. Brad knew that Tony had probably overheard some of his conversation with Gibbs, and that that was why he seemed so sad.

"Hi, Tony," said Brad carefully, hoping he wouldn't scare his friend.

"Sorry I didn't tell you, Brad," whispered Tony.

"That's alright. I'm just worried about you. I know that this has been a hard week so far, but I also know that you can get through it all."

"What are you worried about then?"

"Gibbs mentioned to me that he feels like you're starting to burn out. Is that how you feel?"

Tony shrugged, but his face told the truth. "Maybe... I don't know why I feel that way."

"Probably because you work hard and barely have time off. The stress from this week has added to everything you're feeling, Tony. It's okay to need a break."

"Gibbs said I should go to New York with my new brother."

"That wouldn't be such a bad idea. I have a friend up there that I could call to keep an eye on you for me."

"Is New York a nice place?"

"It is. It's busy, but it's a lovely city. It's warm up there at this time of year."

"I don't know anyone up there."

"I thought you lived in New York as a kid?"

"I did. All the people I knew were staff in my house. The only friend I had as a child is living in another country now."

"So, now is your chance to make new friends. I'm sure that your brother wants to spend time with you. And he must have people he wants to introduce you to."

"I guess... He did say that his ex-brother-in-law works with him and would love to meet me..."

"That's a good thing! You should be happy about that, Tony."

"I am."

"You don't sound or look like you're very happy."

"It's hard to be happy with everything that's going on this week."

"Okay, but you need to look for the good things. That's what will help you through everything else. Look for the good and you'll see just how much better you feel."

"Do you think I should go to New York?"

"Yes, actually. It'll do you some good to get away from work for a while." Brad smiled. "Why don't you get some sleep? Tomorrow, you can go to work with Gibbs and organise some leave for yourself, then you can drive home and pack. You and your new brother can fly out together."

"Maybe... If I go, work will still be here when I get back, right? I mean, Gibbs and Vance won't replace me?"

"Gibbs? Replace you? Tony, Gibbs loves you. He'd go to the ends of the earth for you. Why would he want to replace you?"

"It was just a question..." Tony said softly, feeling a little embarrassed.

"That's okay," Brad said kindly, trying to keep his worries to himself. "It's understandable to think that someone will eventually take your place on the team. But that won't happen while Gibbs is around, and I doubt that he's planning on going anywhere anytime soon."

"Why hasn't Gibbs burnt out? He's been working a lot longer than I have."

"He did burn out, remember? He left and moved to Mexico for three months."

"That was because he lost his memory."

"Memory loss was a part of it, but it was only a small part of it. He didn't want to admit it, but he did burn out, and that's why he's trying to get you to have a break before you get to that point as well."

Tony took a moment to digest all of that information, then nodded slowly. "Will you be here if I need you?"

"I'm always a phone call away if you need me, Tony, but I'll give you the number for my friend in New York. If it's just to chat, call me, but if you really need medical attention, go to them and they will help, I'll make sure of it."

"Thank you, Brad." Tony looked up and gave Gibbs a small smile. "Thank you, too, Gibbs."

"Anytime, DiNozzo, anytime," said Gibbs as he made his way into the living room and took a seat next to Tony.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but I want to leave it here. The next chapter is picking up from the following afternoon, and Tony will be on his way to New York.**


	9. Chapter 9

Bull yawned as he entered Dulles International Airport on Thursday afternoon. He had planned to stay a couple of days longer, but when Gibbs had called him with his request for Tony to take a break, Bull couldn't say no. He did want to head home, after all, and he was glad that he would be taking his new brother along with him. He wanted to show off because he was so proud and excited. He knew that Tony was excited, too, even though he hadn't really shown it yet.

"Dr Bull?"

Turning, Bull saw Tony standing just a couple of feet in front of him, looking a little nervous. Gibbs was standing next to Tony, and Bull noticed that Tony seemed to be drawing strength and comfort from his boss.

"Hi, Tony! Hello, Agent Gibbs," said Bull with a smile. "I'm so glad that you're joining me in New York for a while, Tony."

"It's just a couple of days," mumbled Tony. "Then I'm coming back to Gibbs..."

"I know that, but it doesn't mean that I'm not happy to have company. You're going to love The Big Apple, Tony."

"I doubt it."

"I don't. There's so much to do and see. There's some really great people I want you to meet. You'll love them, I promise."

"Who are they?"

"My family. They are my version of Agent Gibbs and the rest of your team."

Tony gave his first real smile of the week. "Are they going to like me?"

"Of course they will! Why wouldn't they love you? As far as I can tell, you're a funnier version of me, and they love me when I be funny."

"Okay..." Tony shook his head, but amusement was written all over his face. "We should get going."

"We should. It was lovely to meet you and your team, Agent Gibbs. Maybe I'll fly back here with Tony and get to know you all better. After all, Tony does consider you his family, and it's only fair to get to know the most important people in my brother's life."

"That would be nice, Dr Bull. Please look out for Tony, alright?" asked Gibbs, sounding almost like a father sending his young son away on his own for the first time.

"I will. He's my brother, and I protect my family."

* * *

The plane ride was well under way when Tony finally relaxed. He stopped looking anxiously out of the window and turned to face his new brother.

"Dr Bull?" asked Tony.

"It's Jason. What's wrong? Are you a nervous flyer? You've been pretty tense for the last forty minutes."

"I love flying... I guess I'm still unsure of this trip... I don't normally take time off from work."

"Which is probably why your boss suggested this. You can't spend your entire life working, Tony. It's not good for you."

"Do you work all the time?"

"No. I work Monday to Friday, when the courts are open, from nine am to five pm."

"How?"

"How, what?"

"How do you manage to keep hours like that?"

"Because I make sure that I do. I always make sure my team leaves on time and that they aren't early for work. I can't do this job on my own, so if they aren't there, then neither am I."

"I wish I could do that. Sometimes, I don't know why I chose to become a federal agent. It just seems like I'm wasting my time lately."

"That's because you're overdue for a break, Tony. When we need a break, we stop enjoying our jobs and forget why we do them in the first place."

"Do you ever feel that way?"

"Sometimes. But, like I said, my team helps me ensure I don't work too much."

"They seem really nice."

"They are. I think you'll really like Marissa. She's my right hand, my best friend, and she's also the one that keeps me in check. And you'll love Benny- he and I were in-laws once, until his sister and I got divorced. We stayed friends, and he's now the in-house lawyer at work. He could probably tell you a lot about me."

Tony smiled. "I guess that he'd be like Abby then. Abby knows everything about me. She'd gladly tell you all of it." Another smile lit up Tony's face. "I'm glad that you and I found each other, you know."

"So am I, Tony. So am I."


	10. Chapter 10

When the plane landed in New York, Bull led his brother through the terminal to collect Tony's luggage. Then they headed out of the airport into the warm sunshine.

"Jason!" called a stylish woman with a smile. She made her way over.

"Hi, Riss," said Bull with a smile of his own. "Thanks for picking us up."

"No problem." Marissa extended her hand out to Tony. "Hi, you must be Tony. I'm Marissa. I work for Bull."

"Nice to meet you," said Tony. Bull had been right- he already liked this woman.

"Did you have a good flight?"

"Yes, I guess. Jason is good company."

"He certainly is," laughed Marissa. "Come on, I'll take you to TAC so you can meet everyone."

"Everyone? How many people is that?"

"Four. You're going to love them, I promise."

"I don't know... Maybe I should go to my hotel first?"

"It's your choice, Tony," said Bull, "but you don't need to be worried. You really will love the rest of my team. And they're going to love you."

"If you say so... People usually think I'm an overgrown frat boy."

"Those people are idiots," said Marissa. "Our friends are not idiots."

Tony smiled. "Alright. Let's go meet them."

* * *

The drive from the airport to TAC was long, but far from boring. The time was used to fill Tony in on Bull's team, and by the time they arrived at his office, Bull had told Tony the names of his teammates, a brief history on each and even their favourite coffees. Tony had no idea why he had been told all of this information, but he stored it away for future reference, just in case he needed it.

"Are you ready, Tony?" asked Bull as they walked up to the TAC building.

"Actually, I am. I feel much calmer now. Thank you, for whatever it is you did to make that happen," answered Tony.

"I don't think I really did much, but you're welcome anyway." Bull grinned. "Or... maybe I did something...?"

"Shut up, Jason," called Marissa as she returned with an all access pass for Tony. "Don't play with his head."

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. I wanted to make him laugh."

"Right." Marissa shook her head. "Come on, Tony. Let's get going before he thinks of something else to try on you."

Tony actually did laugh this time. "Sounds like a good idea, Marissa."

With a smile, Marissa led Tony and Bull to the building's doors. She pushed them open and they all entered, heading straight for the elevators. In less than two minutes, the trio were stepping out of the elevator and onto the twenty-second floor. People were milling about, working on tasks like any other day. They didn't bother looking over at the elevator.

"Welcome to our office, Tony," said Bull. "Come and meet the four other people that mean the world to me."

Tony looked around as he followed Bull through a short corridor and into a large, open area full of desks. He was stunned at how lovely the building was, and even more stunned by the views from the windows.

"This must cost you a fortune," Tony breathed.

"It's expensive, but worth it. My staff enjoy coming to work, or, at least, I hope they do."

"As much as NCIS is my home, I think I would enjoy working in a place like this."

"Thank you." Bull smiled. He then turned to face a group of people sitting at a conference table. "Good morning everyone," he said cheerfully to them.

"You're back!" exclaimed a young woman excitedly.

"I am." Bull hugged the woman. "I missed you too, Cable." He looked over at everyone else. "I want all of you to meet someone."

A man that looked to be slightly younger than Tony smiled. "Hi," he said as he held a hand out to Tony. "I'm Benny. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Benny. I'm Tony. Dr Bull told me that you two were in-laws at one point. That's cool."

"Bull is more like a brother than an in-law, really. He certainly treats me better than my sister does." Benny shrugged. "I'm TAC's in-house lawyer."

Tony smiled. "I'm not much of a fan of lawyers, to be honest, but you seem different to every other lawyer I've ever met. I like you a lot."

"Good, because I'm not like other lawyers... I've been on the wrong side of the law before, even though I didn't do anything wrong."

Tony nodded sympathetically. "I know how that feels. I've been there too. I don't ever want to go back there again."

Benny grinned. "We should grab a coffee later. I'll tell you all about Bull."

Bull groaned, but didn't speak. He could see that Tony was interested in knowing about him, and he wasn't going to make things harder by not allowing Tony to learn about his new brother.

"Sounds like a plan, Benny," said Tony. He looked over at the woman still cuddled into Bull. "You're name is Cable, right?"

"Yes," answered Cable. She sounded excited still. "I can't believe Bull brought a friend of his to meet us."

"Well... Tony's not exactly my friend..." said Bull quietly.

"What do you mean?" asked another woman. She turned to Tony. "I'm Danny, by the way." She pointed to the remaining man. "And this is Chunk."

"Nice to meet all of you," said Tony. He looked to Bull for a moment, then looked back at the team. "What Dr Bull is trying to say is that... he and I are... we're brothers..."


	11. Chapter 11

_We're brothers..._

Tony knew that saying this would have a huge impact, but he couldn't really do anything about that. He had to just wait until they stopped gaping at him and Bull.

"You have a brother?" asked Benny. "Since when?"

Bull smiled a little. "I found out a couple of days ago."

"That's really amazing," said Marissa happily. "You've always wanted a brother that is as silly as you are."

"That's true... Except that Tony isn't as silly as me, he can't be."

"I wouldn't bet on that," smiled Tony. "You should have asked Gibbs; I can be downright stupid at times."

"Really, now?"

"Yes... On a good week, anyway."

"In that case, you must stay with me for another week or so. I'd like to see silly Tony at some point."

"I don't know..."

Bull laughed. "That's alright. If you want to stay, that's up to you."

* * *

After meeting everyone on Bull's team, Tony had realised just how exhausted he was. Now that he was far from NCIS, he could think a little more clearly, and all he could think about was getting to his hotel to sleep.

"Hey, Jason?" Tony asked quietly.

"Yes?"

"Do you think you could drop me at my hotel now? It's been a long few days..."

Bull nodded. "Of course, but you and I are going out for breakfast tomorrow, and then you're going to spend the day sightseeing with me."

Tony smiled. "Sure, that sounds great."

Bull disappeared into his office for a few minutes, then returned to Tony with a piece of paper. "It's my phone number. You have my cell number. There are also Marissa and Benny's numbers on there if you can't get through to me."

"Are you sure? Are Benny and Marissa okay with me having their numbers?"

"Of course they are. They told me to give them to you, actually."

"They did? That was really nice, really trusting of them."

"That's them for you."

Tony smiled. He took the paper from Bull and followed him to the elevator. He was actually finding that he was quite reluctant to leave the building. The people in it were lovely. He was starting to feel better about things now.

* * *

Gibbs was worried. Tony had sent him a quick text message to let him know that he was in New York, but that was it. Hours had passed, and Gibbs didn't know what was going on. He really hoped that Tony was doing okay; he felt bad about sending Tony away without anyone he knew and trusted. He knew that it was good for Tony to get away from NCIS for a while, but the sadness in Tony's expression and voice when Gibbs had suggested it made Gibbs feel like the world's biggest idiot. He knew that Tony looked up to him- why, he wasn't sure- and he had all but sent him away.

"It's for his own good," Gibbs said to himself. "Tony needs this break."

But, Gibbs still couldn't feel better. He picked up his phone and dialed the familiar number before he had even thought about it.

* * *

Tony groaned when his phone rang. He wanted to sleep, not talk to anyone. He grabbed the phone and sighed into it. "Hi, boss," he said through a yawn.

"Were you asleep?" Gibbs asked quickly.

"No. I was just going to shower and then sleep. Why?"

"I just wanted to check in. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Gibbs. Tired, but fine."

"You're sure about that?"

"Very sure." Tony yawned again. "I'm going sightseeing tomorrow with Dr Bull."

"You are?"

"Yeah. I think it will be nice to see New York with someone that actually is a nice person."

"Alright. Enjoy it, Tony. We'll all be expecting stories when you get back."

Tony smiled. "Of course, Gibbs. I won't disappoint. I might even have presents for everyone when I get home."

Gibbs chuckled. "Enjoy your vacation, Tony. I'll see you when you come home."

Tony heard a click and knew Gibbs had hung up. He put his phone down, feeling slightly better now that he knew Gibbs was wanting him back when he was ready. He rushed a shower, then climbed into the hotel bed, got comfortable, and was asleep in an instant.

* * *

When the sun hit him the next morning, Tony woke with a smile. He was feeling excited about the day ahead. Slowly, Tony climbed from the bed and went to have a proper shower, then he collected his phone and wallet and headed down to the hotel lobby. He found Bull waiting for him, dressed in casual clothes, and looking excited as well.

"Morning, Tony!" Bull called once Tony was a few steps away. "Did you sleep well?"

Tony nodded. "You put me in a five star hotel, in a room with an en-suite and a hot tub on the balcony. Of course I had a good sleep."

"Great! I'm so glad that you're happy. Come on, I know a great little cafe that serves a delicious hot breakfast menu. You're going to love it!"


	12. Chapter 12

The cafe turned out to be two blocks from the hotel. The atmosphere was warm and friendly inside the cafe, the staff were smiling as they made their way around, collecting orders and delivering food. Tony and Bull were welcomed immediately and shown to a table near the windows.

"Can I get you anything to drink will you look at the menu?" asked a young waiter.

"I'll have a coffee and the breakfast wrap," said Bull. "Thank you, Kenny."

Tony smiled and ordered a coffee. "I guess I'll have the same as Jason, please," he said.

"Sure. Two coffees and two wraps coming up," replied Kenny.

"You didn't look at the menu, Tony. Are you sure that's what you want?" Bull asked.

"I'm sure. You clearly love it, so it must taste good," Tony answered.

"That's pretty trusting of you."

Tony smiled. "It's easy to trust you, Jason."

"Thanks, Tony." Bull grabbed his phone and handed it over. "That's where I'm taking you today. I think you will really like it."

"What is it?"

"The Brooklyn Botanical Garden. We'll have to drive there, but it's not too far away. It should take us half an hour to get there."

"Are we spending a day there?"

"Maybe. I was thinking of going on a bike tour of Brooklyn afterward, but we'll see what happens."

Tony nodded. "Okay," he said happily as their food and coffees arrived.

* * *

Almost two hours later, Bull and Tony were standing outside the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. From what could be seen over the fence, Tony was amazed. The trees were beautiful, and they provided some much needed shade in the hot sun that had come up that morning.

"Ready to go in, Tony?" asked Bull.

"Yes," said Tony. He followed his brother towards the gate. "Do we need to pay?"

"I already got passes from a past client that said he owed me."

"You asked for passes to a garden?"

"I didn't want anything, but these passes are expensive and he really wanted to do something for me. I figured that this was better than anything else he could give."

"Do you get paid for your cases?"

Bull nodded as they walked inside the garden. "Not for all of them, but most of them, yes. I do pro bono work as well."

"It's no wonder your company is busy, then."

"It's busy, but I have other teams that I delegate cases to. I try hard not to overwork my team, especially after my heart attack six months ago."

"You had a heart attack?!"

"I stressed myself out and wasn't eating healthy food. Plus, I was drinking like alcohol was going out of fashion," Jason admitted.

"You sound like me. I've been somewhat irresponsible this week. I'm on medication so that I can pass this cold without my lungs being strained, but I've been drinking. This week is a bit hard for me."

"I heard. How are you feeling? We could see a doctor if you need to."

"I'm alright. I actually feel pretty good today. Last night, I realised that things were a lot simpler than I was thinking. Gibbs and Brad were right- having some distance is good for me."

"Distance does help," agreed Bull.

"My ex-girlfriend isn't important. I thought I still needed her, but I realised that everyone is correct. She doesn't care about me, so I shouldn't worry about her, right?"

Bull nodded. He had unconsciously put on his psychologist hat the moment Tony had mentioned that his week had been bad in the hopes that he could ease some of the pain for his brother. "An ex is never worth your time, Tony. If she can't be there when things are tough now, then she'll never be able to help in the future. There's no sense in putting yourself through that. Someone else will come along and want to be there when times are tough, I promise."

"There's this nurse, actually," said Tony thoughtfully. "I met her years ago, when I was in the hospital. She looked after me for almost a month before I returned to work." He smiled, remembering the nurse. "I still see her when I visit my doctor, and she's still as lovely as the day I met her."

"Does this nurse know about how bad this week is?"

"Yes. She met Kate, and she came to the funeral after Kate died to support me. I used to think that it was because I wasn't a hundred percent better yet, but recently, it seems more likely that she was there as a friend. A couple of years later, she came to visit Kate's grave with me, so I took her to my mum's grave as well. I was intending to visit the both of them on that day, and I really didn't want to cut one out just because someone was with me."

"That makes sense."

"Of course, she knows about my health- she was there when I went to see my doctor." Tony looked up and realised that they had made their way to the heart of the garden without realising it. He was feeling a lot better now, and he really needed to tell that to Bull. "Listen... thank you for not judging me. And thanks for listening to what I had to say."

"That's okay, Tony. Sometimes, we just need an outsider looking in to help us figure things out."

"It's been a very long time since I've had someone like that in my life, Jason," admitted Tony.

"What about Agent Gibbs?"

"He listens, but he's not really an outsider anymore. Besides, he misses Kate too. This must be a hard week for him as well."

"Maybe so, but just because it's been a hard week for him, it doesn't mean that it hasn't been hard for you. Sharing that pain can help both of you heal."

"Do you really think so?"

"I know so. I'm a psychologist, remember? I've advised a lot of people in my time." Bull smiled. "Not that the advice is always taken, though."

Tony laughed. "Sounds like you tried to help one of your team and it didn't go so well."

"You would be correct in assuming that."


	13. Chapter 13

"Where should we go now?" Tony asked Bull as they left the botanical gardens.

"How about we get a couple of bikes and take our time looking around the city?"

"Okay," said Tony. He didn't mention that he hadn't ridden a bike in quite some time, nor that he hadn't been very active in the last few weeks. He was already feeling tired just from walking around the gardens. "What about your car?"

"We can leave that in a parking spot near the bike rental station and come back for it later. Brooklyn isn't the biggest city in New York. We would be back within a couple of hours, if that."

"That sounds okay... But, we should get going now, before it starts to rain," said Tony, looking up at the cloud filled sky.

"A little bit of rain won't hurt us."

"Maybe not you, but I'm still a little unwell, Jason. The rain will just make it worse." Tony laughed at the confused look on his brother's face. "My lungs aren't exactly as good as I want them to be. If I'm even the slightest bit sick, water and rain will send me straight to a hospital to be treated for pneumonia."

Jason looked sad. "That isn't fair, Tony. Can't they fix your lungs?" he asked as they got into the car.

"What are they going to fix? Scarring is permanent, just like it is anywhere else on the body."

"How did you get scarred lungs?"

"Years ago, we got a letter at NCIS. I was pretty immature back then, and the moment I saw that there was a kiss on the back, I snatched it off my partner to open it. Long story short, I opened it and white powder came out, which turned out to be a genetically altered strain of pneumonic plague. It didn't have an antidote yet, but the scientist that created it put a sort of timer on the bug, so it died after thirty six hours. By then, however, the damage was done, my lungs were scarred, and I was barely alive. It took me two weeks to recover enough to leave the hospital, then another few weeks before I was well enough to return to work. It took me a number of months to completely recover from it. I learnt my lesson, though- I never acted so stupid again."

Bull seemed speechless after Tony's explanation. He didn't speak for almost fifteen minutes, and they were getting out of the car to rent their bikes when he finally did say something.

"Tony, you are a medical miracle, I'm sure of it."

"According to my doctor, I am. Nobody has ever survived that plague before, and nobody has contracted it since. How I managed to survive, I don't know, but if there hadn't been that timer on the bug, I wouldn't be here now. It was very close, Jason." Tony shook his head as they rented their bikes and started their journey. "I don't like to think about it. That was a tough time for me, and I try to forget about it. Sometimes, like when I have to visit my specialist for a checkup, it comes back, but, otherwise, I think I've done a pretty good job of boxing it up and locking it away."

"I don't know what to say... I mean, thank you for sharing that with me, it couldn't have been easy to relive it. You must trust me a lot to tell me that."

"I trust you. I don't know why, but the moment that I found out you were my brother, I wanted to put all my trust into you. I've never really had a family member that I could trust, and I guess that I just wanted you to be different." Tony smiled. "You are different."

"Is that a good thing?"

"A very good thing. I trust you, for one. You are really nice to me, really kind and friendly. I saw the way your team looked at you- they trust you and like you. It's very rare for a person to actually like their boss and not just pretend that they do."

"You like Agent Gibbs," Bull pointed out.

"Gibbs has been a part of my life for a long time. He's been there through everything from me getting sick to me finding out that I have a twin brother I knew nothing about. He's been a father figure to me, and I really do love him as if he was my dad. I can't tell you how many times I wished he was my dad."

"You know," said Bull after a few minutes of silence, "I think you and I have something in common with our fathers. Don't get me wrong, my dad is great, but he has a mean streak in him, too."

"Trust me, your dad was nowhere near as bad as mine."

"How can you be sure?"

"Did your dad abuse you? Beat you up for getting anything other than an A on your report card? Swear at you for getting the wrong alcoholic drink for him, despite you being ten years old?"

Bull had stopped his bike and was staring at Tony in shock. "What the hell? Are you serious?"

"I sure am," said Tony when Bull had caught up to him again.

"He sounds horrible. I'm glad I've never met him."

"Trust me when I say that you never want to meet him. Ever."


	14. Chapter 14

Tony smiled as he and Bull finally returned their bikes and got into Bull's car to head back to Tony's hotel. They had enjoyed their ride around Brooklyn, but both were glad to have made it back before the rain started.

"You know, Tony," said Bull as they headed for the hotel, "I am really happy that I've met you. I always wanted a brother, but I knew that it wasn't likely to happen, so I never thought about it."

"Did you ever want to meet your real family?" asked Tony.

"Sure, for a while. But then, I think that I realised that I loved the people that adopted me. They gave me a home and I was so grateful. I eventually stopped wondering about who my family was, because there was obviously a reason why they didn't want me in their lives. There was no point in thinking about them anymore."

"And now?"

"I'm happy. I've gotten to meet my brother, which is all I ever really needed, I guess. I did want to ask you to set up a meeting for me to get to know my real father, but after what you told me, I don't want to anymore. At least my adoptive father is caring."

"I really am glad to have met you, Jason. I never had anyone except my colleagues to talk to, but a psychologist for a brother might just come in handy one of these days." Tony smiled. "I'm kidding. I love having a brother."

"Me too. And, if you ever do need to talk, I'm only a phone call away. I can always fly to DC if you need me to."

"Thanks, Jason," smiled Tony.

* * *

"Do you really have to go?" asked Marissa sadly.

"I have to get back to work," answered Tony. "But, I promise I'll come back and visit soon. And you guys are all welcome to come and visit me in DC if you want. You can meet my friends."

Bull nodded enthusiastically. "We certainly will be coming for a visit, Tony. I don't want to miss out on too much now that I know about you."

Laughing, Tony nodded in agreement. "Me either, Jason."

With a smile, Tony waved goodbye to his new friends and his new brother. He was going to miss them, but he really missed his team at NCIS. He wanted to go and see them and tell them all about how lovely and caring Marissa was, how fun Bull was to hang out with. He wanted to tell Abby and McGee all about Cable. He wanted to tell Gibbs about Benny, and about how nice of a lawyer Benny was. He wanted to tell Bishop about Danny's investigative skills and Chunk's fashion sense. He was excited.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye, then," said Bull.

"Not goodbye," said Tony, shaking his head. "It's merely just a 'see you soon' kind of thing. We will be staying in touch, and I plan on coming back here soon."

Bull smiled. "You're right..."

"We are now boarding for flight 288- New York to DC. Please proceed to terminal six," said a bright and cheery voice over the airport's intercom system.

"Well, I guess I should be going," said Tony. He smiled at his new friends. "It was lovely to meet all of you. I'll miss you."

"We'll miss you, too, Tony. Have a safe flight," said Cable with a smile.

"Let me know when you get back to DC," said Bull as he hugged Tony. "I can't wait until we can see each other again."

"Me either." Tony turned to see that most of his fellow passengers were on the plane. "Bye, everyone!" he called as he picked up his duffel bag and headed to the check-in desk.

* * *

 **Ten Hours Later**

"So, how was New York, Tony?" asked Gibbs once Tony was seated on his basement steps.

"I loved it. Jason took me around Brooklyn and I got to meet his colleagues. They're really nice people. I can't wait for you to meet them, Gibbs," answered Tony. "You would love them."

"Didn't you tell me that one of them is a lawyer?"

"Yes. Benny's a great lawyer, but he's just so nice and friendly. You wouldn't believe that he could be a lawyer. And then there's Cable. Abby and McGee would love her. She's a really good hacker, and she's so good with computers."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"You would like her. She's young enough that you would probably treat her like your daughter, I think."

"How old is she?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but she's definitely no older than twenty-six."

Tony smiled as he thought about his new friends. He really liked them. "You know, I could talk about them all day..." he said as he and Gibbs continued their conversation.

 **The End**


End file.
